People gather to protest against austerity policies and water charges in Dublin, January 31, 2015. (Reuters / Cathal McNaughton) / Reuters

Hundreds of anti-austerity campaigners are expected to gather outside the headquarters of RTE, Ireland's national broadcaster, on Saturday to protest against what they say is biased reporting that represents the interests of a marginal elite.

Protesters will assemble at 1pm at the Sacred Heart Church in
Donnybrook, south Dublin, before making their way to the
broadcaster’s studios nearby.

The demonstration has been organized by a diverse group of
anti-austerity and political campaign groups from far-flung
regions across Ireland.

Among these, are anti-water charges campaign groups that have
protested regularly in recent months against the Irish
government’s water taxation policy shift.

The water tax forms part of the government's long-term plan to
repay billions of socialized bank debt, stemming from a banking
crisis that brought Ireland's economy to its knees. Following an IMF/EU bailout in 2010
that resulted in years of harsh austerity measures, Ireland's
economy is yet to fully recover.

'Failing to act in
public interest'

Campaigners say RTE’s representation is failing the wider Irish
populace, and has concealed some of the darkest manifestations of
austerity to have befallen the Irish state since 2008.

They accuse the station of portraying Ireland as a nation in
recovery when in reality unemployment remains stubbornly high,
suicide rates are soaring, and families who have bailed out
corrupt bankers are being evicted from their homes and forced
onto the street.

They also warn of political policing in Ireland, whereby
anti-austerity activists are being arrested for exercising their
democratic right to protest.

Paul Cheevers, a leading organizer of Saturday’s protest, says
the Irish people refuse to continue “to be fooled” by
RTE’s representation.

The Dublin-based personal trainer and father-of-two is calling
upon the broadcaster to question establishment sources, and
refrain from peddling inaccuracies.

Cheevers, who is active
in Ireland’s anti-water charges movement, accuses RTE of focusing
on the interests of a government that has“lost touch with the
electorate.”

In recent months, he has actively resisted the installation of
water meters in Rialto, Dublin, along with other local activists.

The Irish government, in tandem with semi-state firm Irish Water,
will use the meters to facilitate the charging of citizens for
water usage. Opposition
TDs (MPs) and campaigners say the imposition of this veiled
austerity tax has spawned the largest protest movement Ireland
has seen in decades.

But protesters central to this movement have been misrepresented
by RTE, with peaceful campaigners being portrayed as
“malicious and dangerous,” Cheevers says.

At the same time, the grueling impact of austerity on the ground
in Ireland is underreported, he argues.

“Suicide is in overdrive yet the media don’t mention why this
is happening, our hospitals are lacking beds, people have been
stripped of their medication and the government message is: you
look after yourself,” he said.

“I don’t see recovery, no one I know is experiencing
recovery. The media will tell you we are in a recovery. It’s not
true,” he added.

'Pro-establishment media coverage'

Dr Henry Silke, a Dublin-based expert in media studies and media
representation, told RT Ireland is characterized by a “clear
disconnect between the media and much of the population.”

He stressed RTE’s coverage of anti-water charges demonstrations,
like that of much of Ireland’s mainstream media, has attempted to
“de-legitimise the movement.”

“Minor acts of civil disobedience such as picketing have been
framed as violent acts,” he said.

Silke suggested Ireland’s broader media lens serves to reinforce
rather than challenge the status quo. He said the Irish establishment's
recent spate of “political arrests,” and its ongoing
imprisonment of anti-water charges activists has lacked the sort
of coverage one might expect from a “critical media
sphere.”

The media studies expert
concluded Ireland’s mainstream media functions as an
“ideological structure” that sustains “favourable
political conditions for the political elite.”

He said this trend is not always apparent. However, he stressed
"whenever any
serious class issue comes to the fore any pretence of pluralism
goes out the window."

Another leading organizer of Saturday’s demonstration is
technical sales representative and father-of-three Michael
McDermott. He is particularly active in regional anti-water
charges campaign group Cavan Says No To Water Charges.

McDermott told RT protesters wish to send the message to RTE on
Saturday that “they will not be lied about.”

He said the broadcaster ignored a large protest in December 2014
attended by 3,000 campaigners opposed to the Irish government’s
water taxation policy, yet reported on a far smaller rally in
North West Ireland on the same day.

Irish citizens to protest against biased RTE reporting in
Dublin tomorrow. Can we expect something similar in Glasgow?
#SexySocialism#BBC

McDermott stressed anti-austerity protesters in Ireland have been
unjustly demonized by RTE.

He said the human cost
of austerity is underreported in Ireland, and Irish citizens’
reliance on soup kitchens and food banks is largely ignored by
the government-owned broadcaster.

“On Wednesday night I attended the first meeting of our
community coming together to help open a food bank because we
have families contacting us that can’t afford food. We don’t see
this reported,” he said.

“Also no reporters from RTE go to any soup kitchens to see
the families that are there three times a day because they can’t
afford to live.”

'The myth of recovery'

Reflecting on Ireland's economic climate, McDermott said the
state's supposed economic recovery is largely a myth perpetuated
by RTE and other domestic media outlets.

“There has been no recovery for the majority of people in
Ireland. I work hard and at the end of the month have
nothing,” he said.

“I don’t go out, myself and my wife don’t waste money but the
reality is the 99 percent in this country can’t live the way we
should.”